Recently we were gifted with a shimmering live performance by electro-pop trio, SHAED. The Washington DC-based group consists of twin producers Spencer and Max Ernst and vocalist Chelsea Lee who together, work to create what they call "colorful music."

They played three songs during their NEXT Session, off of their newly-released debut EP Just Wanna See, which were the title track, "Perfume" (which Chelsea later told us was her favorite track), and "Thunder." Along with producing music, the twin brothers also list light design on their artistic resumes, and they proved it by bringing their very own light show to the studio. Lights coordinated perfectly with the beats and switched to every color and shade (see what we did there?) you could possibly think of. "We're visual people," the group told us when we asked them to explain colorful music...Well they sure weren't lying.

But the impressive force that is SHAED does not end with the producers. The lyricist behind the music, front woman Lee, has one of the most powerful voices we've heard. When she was performing, her anthemic hooks were thunderous and then when she sat down to talk to us, she was very modest about it. The chemistry between these three is undeniable. With Spencer cracking jokes left and right, Max staying on the more quiet side, and Chelsea landing right in the middle, the group have a great dynamic that proves these friends will be around for a while.

Transcript

Take a break from this life Set our worries to the side great space, it's a beautiful space. to play in front of artwork like this. This was pretty cool. We were laughing because... - Yeah. We got Max on the keys and then me on the guitar and then Chelsea over there... - I'm missing an arm. - ...with the mic. - Oh yeah, Max, you don't have ears on top of your head. - He doesn't have a brain, so. - And we're all naked. It's a whole thing. No, this is perfect. Baeble. Shaedable - Say "shaeble." - Shaeble. - That's it. - Can we change our name? It's too late. Wherever you are We walked up to the tower They looked down from above I never dreamed trouble could be coming from So few people Wherever you are Let's get loud like thunder Know in your heart They won't drag us under They can't blow Every brick we lay will make us Stronger All we heard was a whisper When they paid for a beating drum They never dreamed together We could make a sound That would drive them out Wherever you are Let's get loud like thunder Know in your heart They won't drag us under They can't blow Every brick we lay will make us Stronger Yeah Wherever you are Let's get loud like thunder Know in your heart They won't drag us under They can't blow Every brick we lay will make us Stronger Wherever you are Let's get loud like thunder Know in your heart They won't drag us under They can't blow Every brick we lay will make us Stronger Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Every brick we lay will make us stronger - You guys performed Thunder. Can you explain what that song's about? - Living in D.C. there's been this, especially with this election, a big political uprising among our age group so we kind of wrote Thunder to reflect that kind of era that happening right here. The youth is kind of screaming for what they want and kind of just getting loud, like Thunder, for a change. So we were really inspired by that. - You're from D.C., what's the music scene like? - A lot of people associate D.C. with politics and it's actually... has a great music and artist kind of hub in the city. So it's really nice and it's a supportive area and we love being there. - Electronic music is growing rapidly right now. How do you guys differentiate yourselves from other electronic groups. - I mean we are D.I.Y., we record with that box over there. We can take it anywhere we want. We have our own studio. It gives us a lot of flexibility and... - We just try to make music that just like kind of feels right to us at the time. One thing that kind of sets us apart is that Chelsea has a pretty powerful voice and we try to highlight that in a lot of our tracks. Can we take a break From this life Set our worries to the side Live a day, like it’s ours Share an evening with the stars Let’s eat honey pick me up Smile at you, I’ll never stop Wanna be doin’ that couple stuff I’m tired of being lonely I just wanna see I just wanna see your face now Just wanna see I just wanna see your face now Just wanna see I just wanna see your face now Just wanna see I should remember when it’s hard It’s only cause we’ve been apart Terrified by the space So when I get you in my place Let’s just eat that honey pick me up Smile at you until we drop Wanna be doin’ that couple stuff I’m tired of being lonely I just wanna see I just wanna see your face now Just wanna see I just wanna see your face now Just wanna see I just wanna see your face now Just wanna see I just wanna see your face You standing there And I watching you darling you better Get over here close your eyes and let your mind run free ‘cause I just wanna see Just wanna see your face now Just wanna see I just wanna see your face now Just wanna see I’m tired of being lonely I just wanna see I just wanna see your face now Just wanna see I just wanna see your face now Just wanna see I just wanna see your face now Just wanna see I just wanna see your face now Your face right now Oh, oh, yeah. - And the title track on the EP Just Wanna See, what's that about? - That song is about being away from someone that you are really into and just like that feeling of like wanting to see them again. - And why'd you chose that as the title for the EP too? - I feel like it's one of our like deeper, like meditative tracks. It's kind of got like a hypnotic feel to it. You know we were thinking maybe Perfume for a while, but Just Wanna See kind of just opens up the album for just like a lot of different possibilities. - It also looked really good on the EP art. - Just sounded cool. - Yeah. Just really, that was a part of it too. It just sounded cool. I just wanna see I just wanna see your face now - What's the song that you're most excited about? - I would say for me, Perfume. I love that song. - We wrote the music for that one first and that was one where Chelsea started singing something in the chorus that we were really feeling. And the track sort of felt like an angry, powerful woman who gets what she wants, I guess and we just kind of went with that. It's kind of a just like a fun. - That's basically me, angry, powerful woman. - Yeah. Basically it's Chelsea. Yeah. You better believe I fell in love with you Dippin’ the pen again ‘cause I want to claim you I’ll write the rules and you will sign your name Ink dries, I cut ties so move quickly my dear They say I eat the greatest cake I do and you can’t stop me Take off I can’t stand it No more Baby I choose you Like new perfume Not gonna lose you Never gonna wash you off Drippin' grace outside as I sip my tea Conversations closed ‘til you send me your deal I’m not the type to sit and wait around Rather have another drink and drown They say I eat the greatest cake I do and you can’t stop me ooo Take off I can’t stand it No more Baby I choose you Like new perfume Not gonna lose you Never gonna wash you off 'cause you’re like perfume all on me 'cause you’re like perfume all on me I’m gonna wear you endlessly Perfume on me Perfume on me Baby I choose you Like new perfume Not gonna lose you Never gonna wash you off Never gonna wash you off Can’t stop Can’t stop Can’t stop Never gonna wash you off Can’t stop Can’t stop watching you Can’t stop Cause you’re like perfume Can’t stop Can’t stop Never gonna wash you off Can’t stop Can’t stop watching you Can’t stop 'cause you’re like perfume

Artist Bio

SHAED is a head-bobbing pop trio comprised of multi-instrumentalist twin brothers Max and Spencer Ernst and powerhouse vocalist Chelsea Lee. Lees vocals weave divinely through the Ernst twins pop-sensible production that can make anyone move. Their debut single, Just Wanna See, is a genre bending slow jam that has received international praise and favorable comparisons to bands like Florence & The Machine, Sia and Sylvan Esso.